Getting Oriented
Covering about 2,800 square miles, Graubünden is the largest canton in Switzerland, occupying more than one-sixth of the country. With high mountains nestling chic resorts like St. Moritz, Davos, and Klosters, the Grisons (to use the French name) offers as much attitude as altitude. Cross any of the passes southeast to the Engadine Valley for quaint sgraffiti-covered villages and more fresh air than you can imagine.
- Heidiland. Everybody's favorite little Swiss miss lived here, and today the village of Maienfeld pays homage to the legendary character with a Heidi Village, Heidi Path, and Heidihof Hotel. To the south lies Chur, the capital of Graubünden—largely modern, it has, in fact, nearly 11,000 years of history exhibited in the local museums, churches, even the streets. Then strike southeast for Arosa, a high-altitude village perfect for those who find the winter elegance of St. Moritz just a trifle overbearing.
- Prätigau and Davos. The fertile Prätigau Valley with its abundance of meadows, forests, and panoramic Alpine vistas is home to Klosters, an attractive, chaleted resort perfect for those seeking fantastic skiing in a quieter atmosphere. Lively, neighboring Davos—Europe's highest city—is as renowned for its winter sports as it is for hosting the World Economic Forum.
- The Lower Engadine. Bustling Scuol has maintained its ancient feel despite modern amenities. Nature lovers will have all wishes fulfilled in the famed Swiss National Park, and art lovers will adore flower-boxed Guarda and the magnificent fortress at Tarasp, which seems lifted from the pages of a medieval illuminated manuscript.
- The Upper Engadine and St. Moritz. Take New York luxury, Paris fashion, a bit of London and Milan, a drop of Munich, a handful of Rome, large swaths of premium ski slopes and crystalline lakes, then add a perfect "champagne climate" of crisp, dry air and plenty of sunshine, mix well, and pour onto a few acres in a gorgeous high-altitude valley. How can anything compare to St. Moritz?
